June 3, 2017 • 2

Meiringen, Switzerland: The Birthplace of Meringue?

*Sweet, light and crisp meringues with whipped cream and ice cream at Frutal’s Tea Room in Meiringen, Switzerland — the supposed birthplace of meringues.*

When people think of meringues in Switzerland, the district of Gruyère usually comes to mind. In this region, these light-as-air sweets are traditionally served with double cream. However, the birthplace of meringue is often considered to be Meiringen, in the canton of Bern. At the same time, multiple theories exist for its place of origin, one of which involves Napoleon.

The story goes that an Italian chef named Gasparini, who worked in Meiringen, borrowed the name of the town for his new creation made of leftover egg whites and sugar. Some sources indicate this took place during the 17th century, while others say it occurred around 1720.

Lacking sufficient evidence, I have chosen to believe the theory that Meiringen is the home of meringue. Furthermore, because it holds the record for the world’s longest meringue, an honor proudly bestowed upon the town in 1986. To learn more, I recently traveled to central Switzerland to taste Swiss meringues in the place where they were supposedly first made.

Here’s where I recommend you go for Swiss meringues in Meiringen:

Frutal Versandbäckerei. It’s located on the main street in town, at Bahnhofstrasse 18. You’ll find a bakery counter filled with Frutal’s famous meringues and much more. A Tatzelwurm, for example, is a special éclair decorated to resemble a mythical creature from local folklore. Next to the bakery is a tea room. In this area, you can sit and order meringues accompanied with fresh fruit and whipped cream or ice cream. Or, if you have a sweet tooth like me, both!

*A place you must visit for Swiss meringues — The Frutal Bakery and Tea Room in Meiringen, Switzerland.*

*Outside the front door of the Frutal bakery is a massive meringue sculpture, so you’ll know you’re at the right place!*

Just outside of the city center, you’ll find the factory for Frutal meringues, at Hausenstrasse 73. At this location, you can schedule a one-hour guided tour of the facility. It will very likely include a chance to sample some meringues along the way. Frutal has other opportunities for meringue-baking workshops for both children and adults. These occur roughly between July to October or by special request.